TPWD 1954 F-6-R-1 #86: Inventory of the Fish Species Present in Some Small Lakes in the Lower Rio Grande Valley

--- Page 1 --- STATE Texas MLE PROJECT NO. F-6-R-1, Job B-5 PERIOD July 1, 1953-dune 30, 195 Segment Completion Report by Alvin Flury and Luciano Guerra TITLE Inventory of the Fish Species Present in Some Small Lakes in the Lower Rio Grande Valley. OBJECTIVES To determine the species present and their relative numbers in the above waters. PROCEDURE a. Netting Collections. 1. Two experimental gill net stations were established in each of the three lakes studied. Ten experimental nets were set in both Lake Bentsen and Delta Orchards Lake from January through June 1954. Six experimental nets were set in Olmito Lake from April through June 1954. 2. One 1s inch square mesh net was set by mistake in Delta Orchards Lake but no 2" or 3" mesh nets were used in any of the lakes. 3. No hoop or fyke nets were set in any of the lakes. 4, All fish taken in nets after weighing and measuring equipment was deliv- ered in February 1954 were weighed, measured, sexed and parasites noted. No stomachs were collected. b. Seining Collections. 1. A straight seine, 30 feet long with ¢ inch mesh was used to make one sein- ing collection in Lake Bentsen and two collections in Delta Orchards Lake. No seining beach has been found in Olmito Lake. Cc. Fish caught in nets were weighed, measured, sexed and parasites noted. Fish from seining collections were tabulated. Records were kept on fish ecards and fish collection sheets. RESULTS a. Netting Collections. 1. From Lake Bentsen, a total of 146 fish of eight species were taken and 408 fish of 13 species were taken from Delta Orchards Lake. 247 fish of ten species were taken from Olmito Lake. 2. The 1s inch mesh net set in Delta Orchards Lake took 71 fish of ten species. --- Page 2 --- 2. 3. No fish were taken by hoop and fyke nets. 4. The information gathered from the collections was recorded and filed for use in making up the job completion report. b. Seining Collections. 1. The seining collections from Lake Bentsen produced 459 fish of seven spe- cies; those from Delta Orchards Lake produced 2,179 fish¢ eight species. No fish were seined from Olmito Lake. ce. + A total count of 14 species of fish were recorded from Lake Bentsen, 18 from Delta Orchards Lake and 10 from Olmito Lake: Data concerning the fishes' condition and size were preserved and will be used to make tables and charts for the job completion report, The attached fish list shows the numbers and frequency of fish taken. SUMMARY Fish fromiithree small lakes in the lower Rio Grande Valley, Lake Bentsen, Delta Orchards Lake and Olmito Lake were weighed, measured, sexed and parasites noted and the data col- lected will be presented in the job completion report. Fish lists show the numbers and percentages of each species of fish taken from the three lakes during the first segment. --- Page 3 --- Fish List Name of Water Bentsen Lake Date 18 Species Seining Sta. Netting Sta. Total q, Lepisosteus spatula 0 5 5 83 Lepisosteus productus re) 1 1 elit Lepisosteus osseus ) 6 6 299 Dorosoma cepedianum 6 2 8 1.32 Dorosoma petenensis L O 1 all Ictiobus bubalus 0 85 85 14.05 Notropis braytoni 8 0 8 1.32 Ictalurus furcatus fe) kL KL 6.78 Cyrpinodon varigatus v. 146 ) 146 2h. 13 Gambusia affinis a. 262 0 262 43.31 Menidia beryllina 35 0 35 5.719 Micropterus salmoides 0 3 3 -50 Lepomis macrochirus 0 3 3 » 50 Aplodinotus grunniens 1 0) 1 LT Totals 459 146 605 99.95 --- Page 4 --- 4, Fish List Name of Water Delta Orchards Lake Date Species Seining Sta. Netting Sta. Total % Lepisosteus spatula 0 22 22 O4 Lepisosteus productus @) 3 3 12 Lepisosteus osseus 0 ; 5 5 L9 Dorosoma cepedianum 1,408 81 1,489 57.09 Astyanax fasciatus m. 416 O 416 15.95 Ietiobus bubalus 33 61 94 3.60 Carpiodes carpio 0 116 116 Notropis lutrensis 74 ) 7 2.83 Cyprinodon varigatus v. 9 O 9 35 Ictalurus punctatus 0) 28 28 1.07 Ictalurus furcatus ) 15 . 15 .58 Mugil cephalus ) 16 16 »6L Menidia beryllina 233 -O 233 8.93 Lepomis macrochirus 3 3 6 223 Lepomis auritus 0 1 1 Oo} Pomoxis annularis 0) 10 10 38 Aplodinotus grunniens 0 68 68 2.68 Cichlasoma cyanogutta c. 3 O 3 12 18 species Totals 2,179 428 2,608 99.99 --- Page 5 --- Name of Water Olmito Lake Date Species Seining Sta. Netting Sta. Total % Lepisosteus spatula 9) 22 22 8.91 Lepisosteus productus 0 61 61 2h.70 Dorosoma cepedianum ) 4S KS 18.22 Ietiobus bubalus ) 57 57 23.08 Carpiodes carpio 6) 52 52 21.05 Lepomis cyanellus 0 | 3 3 1.21 Lepomis macrochirus ¢) 2 2 meal Lepomis megalotus 0 2 2 81 Chaenobryttus coronarius ©) zi 1 40 Pomoxis annularis fe) 2 2 81 Totals fe) Quy u7y 99.99